A. Area of Invention
The invention relates to a Hispanic celebration device which annunciates one or more different messages upon impact to the device.
B. Prior Art
Toys are known that incorporate voice chips which, when activated, broadcast selected noises or messages during movement or play with the toy to thereby render such a toy more versatile and attractive to play with. The invention more particularly relates to a substantially solid cylindrical or character-shaped celebration device known as a piñata which, in the course of celebration, is typically impacted by a stick or a human foot to trigger one of a set of randomly different messages appropriate to the occasion being celebrated, and is generally intended as a single use device. An example of the prior art is reflected in U.S. Pat. No. 5,375,839 (1994) to Pagani, entitled Impact Sensitive Talking Ball, this teaching a device which responds to vibration of a type which can be imparted by the hand or arm of a child, this as opposed to a toy responsive to impact by a stick or other such acute application force that would pierce or break the housing of the device.
Piñatas, as such, have been subject to various U.S. patents as is reflected in U.S. Pat. No. 3,983,658 (1976); U.S. Pat. No. 4,167,078 (1979); U.S. Pat. No. 4,186,514 (1980); U.S. Pat. No. 4,253,266 (1981); U.S. Pat. No. 4,787,872 (1988); U.S. Pat. No. 5,263,889 (1993); U.S. Pat. No. 5,242,308 (1993) U.S. Pat. No. 5,562,518 (1996); U.S. Pat. No. 5,824,378 (1998); U.S. Pat. No. 6,059,708 (2000); and U.S. Pat. No. 6,171,166 (2001). None of these devices exhibit a talking or annunciation capability.
In Hispanic culture the “breaking of the piñata” is an important aspect of many celebrations. However, if the piñata is “broken,” it follows that the piñata cannot be re-used. However, due to economic and practical considerations involving the number of piñatas employed on particular occasions and their costs, one may wish to use a more elaborate or aesthetic device that is re-usable or a device having a re-usable element such as a voice chip. Nonetheless, the problem remains of developing a piñata which is sufficiently responsive to impact such that it appears to be “broken” in something approaching the traditional sense. The instant invention addresses this problem by providing annunciation means to a piñata so that, if impacted with sufficient force, a shock switch will trigger a voice chip circuit which broadcasts a message. Thereby, an incentive will exist to strike the piñata, typically with a stick, with sufficient impact to cause the broadcast of an occasion-specific message or one of a randomly mixed set of occasion-specific messages upon sufficient impact or shock to the piñata.
The instant invention thereby addresses a long felt need in the art for a “talking” piñata having an optionally re-usable voice chip element, and which satisfies cultural needs associated with the ceremonial use thereof to “break the piñata.”